Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says former federal minister Steven Guilbeault acted as an obstacle to constructive negotiations between Alberta and Ottawa, calling him an “unwilling and hostile partner” following his public criticism of the federal government’s recent climate policy direction.Smith made the comments Monday in response to Guilbeault’s weekend interview on Tout le monde en parle, where he said recent decisions by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government, including a new memorandum of understanding with Alberta, mean Canada will no longer be able to meet its 2030 climate goals.“I'm quite happy to see him go and not have the influence in caucus that he clearly had under the previous administration,” Smith said. .“The fact that he has left is going to be good for Alberta, good for the country, and allow us to continue working constructively together.”Smith said the deal negotiated with Ottawa shows federal and provincial cooperation is possible without Guilbeault’s involvement.She pointed to emissions reduction commitments, nuclear development, electricity interties and decarbonization projects such as Pathways as examples of progress.“We’ve had carbon pricing in Alberta since 2007, long before Steven Guilbeault thought of the idea,” she said. “We continue to lead in solar and wind installations, and we have the market structure to support those projects.”.Smith rejected Guilbeault’s claim Alberta imposed a moratorium on renewable energy, saying the province remains Canada’s largest developer of wind and solar.In his TV appearance Sunday, Guilbeault argued the federal government can no longer meet national emissions targets after pausing or altering several major climate policies.“If we are honest with Canadians, we can no longer achieve our targets for 2030 with the announcements that have been made recently. It’s not possible,” he said..Guilbeault said climate policy now relies too heavily on private investment and lacks regulatory enforcement needed to reach national benchmarks. His remarks come days after he resigned from cabinet. He said he first heard details of the Alberta agreement through media reporting and later told the Prime Minister’s Office he could not support it. He also criticized Alberta’s approach to energy negotiations, saying “She’s not a reliable partner, in my opinion, in this negotiation."The agreement includes provisions for a new bitumen export pipeline to British Columbia, adjustments to the Clean Electricity Regulations and a pause on the proposed federal emissions cap for the oil and gas sector..Guilbeault said he expects ongoing demands from the Alberta government, stating “And now we give ourselves two or three months, and she’ll say, ‘I want more, I want more.’”He also said federal concessions were made solely to appease the province. “And we just to please this woman who will never be satisfied, because now we did that…”Guilbeault described the changes as a reversal of measures developed when he served as environment minister under former prime minister Justin Trudeau. He cited carbon pricing, a zero emission vehicle mandate, the emissions cap and fossil fuel subsidy measures as examples.Despite stepping down from cabinet, Guilbeault said he will remain in the Liberal caucus and continue advocating for stronger climate policy. He said he hopes his departure prompts the government to reconsider its recent direction.Smith said the agreement stands on its own and represents a more productive approach between the two governments.
